Executive Team

Mark Steward

Chief Executive

Mark Steward was appointed Chief Executive in May 2025. 

Mr Steward served as the Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight at the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) from 2015. He was also the Chair of the FCA's Market Policy Committee, and from December 2021, he was Executive Director of the FCA's International Division. Prior to joining the FCA, Mr Steward served at the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) as an Executive Director with responsibility for the Enforcement Division.

Before joining the SFC, Mr Steward held several senior positions with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and was most recently Deputy Executive Director, Enforcement at ASIC.

Formerly, Mr Steward was Chair of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions’ (IOSCO) Multi-lateral Memorandum of Understanding Monitoring Group.

Juma Thani Alhameli

Chief Operating Officer

Juma Thani Alhameli was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the DFSA, effective 10 June 2025. Mr Alhameli is a seasoned leader with more than two decades of experience in the technology, financial services, and aviation sectors, with a strong track record in developing successful strategies and delivering innovative business solutions.

Mr Alhameli was previously Chief Technology Officer at First Abu Dhabi Bank, where he led the development and execution of the bank’s technology vision and strategy.

Prior to this, Mr Alhameli spent a decade at Abu Dhabi Global Market in senior leadership roles, including Chief Communication Officer, Chief of Staff, and Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer. Mr Alhamei holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from Khalifa University and completed several executive and professional programmes with Harvard University and IESE Business School.

Justin Baldacchino

Managing Director, Supervision

Justin Baldacchino joined the DFSA in January 2020, where he is responsible for providing an effective and efficient risk-based supervision strategy consistent with the DFSA’s strategic and business objectives.

Mr Baldacchino has 25 years of experience in international finance, and brings a wealth expertise in regulatory interpretation, liaison, and implementation to the organisation. His extensive background encompasses private, commercial, corporate, institutional and investment banking, with a focus on risk, regulatory affairs, compliance, credit, operational and market risk, governance, anti-money laundering (AML), capital, liquidity, innovation, and technology.

Previously, Mr Baldacchino served as the Head of Regulatory Compliance for ANZ Bank, leading the strategic management of regulator relationships in Australia. Prior to that, he worked at JP Morgan in Hong Kong, holding various roles, including Head of Regulatory Compliance, APAC and Head of International Operational Risk, APAC, where he defined and led operational risk control, capital and regulatory governance framework for all business lines across 14 countries. Before JP Morgan, Mr Baldacchino was the Head of Compliance and Risk Governance, Asia for National Australia Bank in Hong Kong, and held several executive roles in Australia.

Mr Baldacchino is a distinguished alumnus of Melbourne Business School, holding an MBA and Post Graduate Diploma, along with a Bachelor of Economics from La Trobe University. He further augmented his expertise by completing the Global Certificate Program for Regulators of Securities Markets from Harvard Law School and the Harvard Executive Program in Regulatory Strategic Management in Boston.

Certified as an AML Specialist, Mr Baldacchino also served as an Executive Board Member for the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists in Hong Kong. Presently, he is a member of The Basel Consultative Group (BCG), fostering collaboration on banking supervisory issues globally.

Alan Linning

Managing Director, Enforcement

Alan Linning joined the DFSA on 16 July 2025, as Managing Director, Enforcement. Mr Linning brings over three decades of extensive legal, regulatory, and enforcement experience to the DFSA, having worked across a broad spectrum of complex financial regulation, enforcement action, and compliance matters within global financial markets.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Mr Linning held various senior positions within top-tier regulatory bodies and law firms, where he held high-profile investigations and contributed to shaping policy and strategy in financial enforcement.

He was most recently a Partner in Litigation and Dispute Resolution at Mayer Brown in Hong Kong. Previously he spent eight years as Partner, Head of Disputes and Regulatory at Sidley Austin. Prior to this, he was Executive Director of Enforcement at Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission.

Mr Linning holds a Law degree from the University of Edinburgh.

Charlotte Robins

Managing Director, Policy and Legal

Charlotte Robins joined the DFSA in May 2024 as Managing Director of Policy and Legal.

She is responsible for leading the further development of the DFSA’s policy framework, managing legal risks, providing comprehensive legal advice and support across all DFSA functions, as well as drafting the administrative laws and rules that form the DFSA’s regulatory framework.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Ms Robins accumulated more than 22 years of experience as a private practice lawyer in Hong Kong. She advised a diverse range of financial institutions – including investment and private banks, fund and wealth managers, and insurance companies on financial services regulation - covering conduct and prudential requirements, strategic business development, regulatory change and risk management.

Ms Robins began her career at Linklaters in London and Hong Kong, and joined Clifford Chance Hong Kong in 2002, and became a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in 2011. In 2016, she joined at A&O Shearman (formally Allen & Overy) as a partner.

Ms Robins is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, as well as in Hong Kong SAR.

Muna Dandan

General Counsel and Secretary to the Board

Muna Dandan joined the DFSA in 2015. As General Counsel and Secretary to the Board, she is the primary legal advisor to the Board of Directors, responsible for advising the Board and its various committees on governance and legal matters. Ms Dandan also oversees the Board Secretariat function, ensuring the effective management of the affairs of the Board and its committees.

Ms Dandan is a member of the DFSA’s Executive Committee, supporting the Chief Executive in managing the DFSA’s operations and driving the implementation of the strategy set by the Board, for the DFSA to meet its statutory objectives. As General Counsel, she provides legal advice and support across all aspects of the DFSA’s operations to assist the DFSA to navigate legal complexities and implement strategies to mitigate legal risk. Her responsibilities further extend to the oversight of the DFSA’s governance systems and controls.

Previously, she headed the DFSA’s Regulatory Legal Affairs Division, where she was responsible for providing legal advice and support for the DFSA’s regulatory functions, as well as drafting the administrative laws and rules forming the DFSA’s regulatory framework.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Ms Dandan spent five years as Head of Legal for the corporate and retail banking businesses of Barclays Bank PLC across the Middle East. Before that, she served as Senior Legal Advisor for HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, advising on all aspects of HSBC’s operations across the Middle East and North Africa, including their corporate, commercial, private wealth, retail, and investment banking business lines.

Ms Dandan holds a UK law degree and is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, as well as in Hong Kong. Prior to returning to her Middle Eastern roots, Ms Dandan spent over a decade with international law firms in both London and Hong Kong, advising large financial institutions and global corporations on complex legal matters.